"Where am I…?"
Nick's breath trembled as his eyes snapped open.
His heart was pounding violently. His head felt heavy. His ears rang as if something had exploded inside them.
"What is this… what is happening to me…?"
His voice cracked. Fear wrapped around his chest like a tightening rope.
"Mom… Mother…"
No answer.
"Bro, what did you tell me? Is this real?" he whispered, staring into the empty space. "You idiot… it was just a dream. A stupid dream."
Yeah. That's what he always said.
More than a hundred times.
It's just a dream, Nick.
But this time… it felt different.
Too real.
Too painful.
"Hey, Kim…" Nick muttered, forcing a weak smile. "Do you ever think about what happens if we all die?"
Kim frowned. "Why would you think about that? That's ridiculous."
"But what if I disappear?" Nick asked softly. "What if I vanish from your memory… from this world?"
"That will never happen," Kim said firmly.
"How do you know?"
"Because I know you'll live longer than me. And even if I die first… you'll always remember me."
Nick laughed quietly. "No. You'll live longer. I know that."
Kim only smiled. "Come on. We'll be late for school."
They started walking.
Then—
Nick felt something strange.
His chest tightened. His vision blurred.
"Hey… Kim… wait…"
Tears rolled down his cheeks.
"Why are you crying?" Kim asked, worried.
Before Nick could answer, the world tilted.
A scream.
A sudden push.
A slip.
Then—
Darkness.
"Child… what happened?"
Voices echoed around him.
Machines beeped.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
A sharp chemical smell filled the air.
"Is he conscious?" someone asked.
"We're trying," another voice replied. "But his friend… he didn't make it."
Nick's eyes fluttered open.
"Kim…?" he whispered.
The doctor looked down, her eyes full of sadness.
"He is no longer with us."
The words shattered something inside him.
Police stepped forward.
"What is your name?""Where are you from?""Where is your house?""What happened?"
Nick said nothing.
His lips trembled.
His hands shook.
"Doctor… is he alright?"
"He's in shock," she replied softly. "Let him rest."
Later, the officer knelt beside him.
"You're safe. You can trust me. This was an accident. It's not your fault."
Nick's breath hitched.
"No…" he whispered. "It's my fault. If we weren't hanging there… he wouldn't have fallen. He would be alive. We would be in school right now."
Tears streamed endlessly.
"My fault… my fault… my fault…"
The doctor pulled him into a gentle hug, letting him cry against her shoulder.
BLINK.
"Nick! What are you doing?"
Nick gasped and sat up.
His room.
Sunlight through the window.
His mother standing near the door.
"Why are you crying?" she asked, rushing to him. "Is everything alright?"
"Mom…" his voice trembled. "Kim is dead because of me."
She stared at him, shocked.
"What are you saying? Have you lost your mind? Kim is in your room, eating snacks."
Nick froze.
His heart slammed violently.
He jumped off the bed and ran.
The stairs felt endless.
His legs shook.
His breath burned.
Then—
"Nick?"
Kim stood there, holding a packet of chips.
"Why are you crying?"
Nick crashed into him, hugging him tightly, sobbing loudly.
Kim froze, confused.
But Nick refused to let go.
Not again.
Never again.